Genshin Impact, I, a mere mortal, cannot accompany you to the very end.

If someone finds out, if the news gets out...

They will be hunted by bad guys.

We had already agreed on this, and this is how it's always been done before, so why did she suddenly show up this time?

The little raccoon cat panted and struggled to pry open the girl's scarlet knife, but no matter how hard it tried, the knife remained firmly against Qing Nuoyan's neck, unmoved.

really.

Qing Nuoyan understood this principle once again: splitting up was the beginning of courting disaster.

The aloof girl lowered her body, pressed her hand against Qing Nuoyan's neck, and sized him up with a predatory gaze...

She carefully scanned Qingnuoyan from top to bottom, observing him meticulously, as if pondering which part of the lion's body was the most succulent. Her tiger teeth gently rubbed together, producing a soft squeaking sound.

She observed indifferently for a long time, then brought her face close to Qing Nuoyan's, sniffing with her delicate nose. She was smelling Qing Nuoyan's scent, tilting her head as if she was thinking.

After a while, for some reason, she released the knife that was held to Qing Nuoyan's neck.

"...Hello?" Qing Nuoyan asked tentatively.

He also slightly loosened the salt ruler in his pocket.

— Qingnuoyan almost called 110 to ask his own salt god for help.

The girl tilted her head and let out a soft whimper.

She stepped off Qing Nuoyan, her bare feet lightly touching the ground, her movements as graceful as a cat's, her bright golden eyes reflecting Qing Nuoyan's face.

"Your name is Qing Nuoyan." Qing Nuoyan tried to communicate with the ghost girl. "What is your name...?"

Qingnuo Rock.

The girl seemed to react to the name; her eyes flickered slightly, and she parted her thin lips slightly, "Chiyo."

She walked lightly to a corner of the shrine, sat down, hugged her knees with her delicate hands, and rested her pale face on her knees. Her eyes were fixed on Qing Nuoyan calmly, refusing to look away. "Torachiyo."

Her voice was soft and her tone was simple, like the unmelted winter snow in early spring, slowly seeping into the ground with the spring sunshine.

Tora Chiyo.

She was the old friend he was looking for.

Qing Nuoyan's eyes lit up... but at the same time, even more doubts arose within him.

According to Miss Yae no Miko, Mikoto Chiyo was completely corrupted by the filth of the beasts from beyond the world and was seriously injured. At that time, Inazuma did not have the means to cure the filth and karma. How did she survive?

Even the Grand Pillar of State couldn't save her.

...Even Hana-san believed that his friend was dead.

In everyone's perception, and in the actual timeline, Mikoto Chiyo should have died.

But she survived, and for hundreds of years she remained hidden from the world, and no one knew anything about her.

According to Qingnuoyan's judgment, most of the filth had already dissipated, leaving only some residue.

If Qingnuoyan were to absorb this residual filth little by little—absorbing it for a period of time and then resting and digesting it for a period of time, and then using the power of the Divine Cherry Tree, Qingnuoyan could completely eliminate Nuoyou without significantly affecting his body.

Of course, if it were the complete defilement of the outside world, Qing Nuoyan would also have a hard time dealing with it, since he no longer had a second Contract Heart that could contain such 'malice'.

He had many questions for Mikami Chiyo, but judging from her current state... he figured she wouldn't be able to give him a proper answer.

Just then, the little tanuki, Ichizo, huffed and puffed as it stood between Torachiyo and Kiyono Iwa. It spread its arms and threatened Kiyono Iwa with feigned ferocity, "If you don't want all the dried fish to be stolen, you're not allowed to tell anyone about what happened today!"

"Five hundred treasures," Qingnuoyan asked. "Why are you here?"

"I can't say." Wu Baizang lowered his eyes. "I have to wait here forever. Wu Baizang has to protect you!"

"Did the Grand Pillar of State ask you to do this?"

"Yes." The little raccoon nodded, then shook its head warily. "No... In short, I can't say!"

This silly raccoon talks incoherently, even his lies are contradictory... Qing Nuoyan pursed his lips, "If I say... I can help her, would you be willing to tell me about those things?"

"..."

Gosakuzo was a foolish and stubborn little demon; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so foolish as to play the role of a 'stone sculpture actor' in the shrine, living off meager offerings, nor would it have stayed at the shrine for five hundred years without leaving. So it shook its head again:

"You can't know."

"You may leave," Wu Baizang said.

...this guy.

Qing Nuoyan sighed with a hint of helplessness.

He shifted his gaze from Ichizo to the girl named Mikoto Chiyo.

Miyuki Chiyo tilted her head, also staring at Seino Iwao; she had cat-like, bright golden vertical pupils.

It was completely different from the ancient appearance that resembled a demon god before.

As if she had just thought of something, she stood up, her bare feet pattering on the tatami mats, and darted into the room. She rummaged through a small drawer, pulled out a fluffy ball of fur, and then patted it out again, placing it in front of Qing Nuoyan.

He tilted his head again.

Qing Nuoyan stared at the old ball of fur, unable to figure out its meaning for a long time.

The demon girl was somewhat dissatisfied.

"...Do you want me to play with you?" Qing Nuoyan asked tentatively.

Chiyo blinked.

...

This is where things get weird.

Outside, it was still drizzling. The team split up and left Qing Nuoyan alone in a dark and old shrine. The shrine was inhabited by a female ghost that had lived for hundreds of years and a raccoon dog that had become a spirit. It was terrifying, bizarre and grotesque, like a modern-day version of A Chinese Ghost Story.

The most bizarre thing is that he's playing catch with a ghost.

Kiyono Iwatsu tossed the old pom-pom out, which Mikoto Chiyo caught and tossed back.

She was meticulous when she caught the ball, her gaze cool and focused.

Every time she receives the ball, she tilts her head and purses her lips slightly.

"Did you play this often before?" Qing Nuoyan asked.

"Hmm." Mikoto Chiyo nodded and tossed the ball back.

A small amount of filth remained, but that filth did not cause Torachiyo to lose control. On the contrary, the filth did not corrupt her; instead, she became closer to her pure white nature... or rather, her instinct.

However, their hunting appearance was also extremely terrifying, like a humanoid natural disaster.

If it weren't Qing Nuoyan present, but someone else, she would probably have torn them to pieces long ago.

No wonder they avoid humans.

"Besides this game, are there any other games we can play?" Qing Nuoyan asked again. He had been playing for a while and was already getting a little bored.

“Hmm.” Surprisingly, Mikoto Chiyo nodded again.

"what is it then?"

“...dance.” She said, enunciating each word clearly.

Qing Nuoyan didn't know what this game called 'Dance' was, so he said, "Then let's play 'Dance'."

Mikoto Chiyo shook her head.

"We've already played around with it, this is not allowed."

"Now, Noyan, you can't." Miyuki Chiyo stared at Kiyo Noyan and said calmly, "You'll die."

...What kind of violent game can kill people?

Thinking about Miyuki Chiyo's actions just now, Kiyono Iwa suddenly realized... This game called 'Dance' must be sword dance...

The rumors were true; even though she had lost most of her rationality, Torachiyo was still a true martial arts fanatic.

"Then let's play catch." Qing Nuoyan tossed the ball back. "Sorry, I'm too weak to 'dance' with you."

Miyuki Chiyo caught the ball, but didn't throw it to Kiyono Iwa again; her bright golden eyes earnestly reflected Kiyono Iwa's face, and she said coldly and calmly, "The past Iwa... the future promise, it's possible."

Is this meant to be encouraging?

Qingnuoyan was somewhat surprised.

He never expected that this aloof and unassuming guy in front of him would encourage him.

“Then I will grow to the point where I can ‘dance’ with Chiyo.” Qing Nuoyan smiled. “After all, my goal… is to become the strongest. When that time comes, I will dance with you.”

Miyuki Chiyo stared quietly at Kiyono Iwa, and gradually, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly—was that a smile...? Kiyono Iwa didn't know, she only felt that the expression was like the light rain swaying the red maple leaves outside the window, the red maple leaves blurring the white rain curtain, and thus a thin color appeared on her cool and jade-like face.

Chiyo nodded.

The night rain outside the shrine was drizzling, gradually increasing in intensity, splashing water droplets on the eaves—it was getting heavier and heavier.

Qing Nuoyan paused, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "There is a gathering."

Mikoto Chiyo was taken aback.

He still remembered the purpose of his trip.

"Under the sacred cherry tree, right at Narukami Shrine, in Hana-sanori... perhaps it should be called Kitsune-sai-gu? I'd like to invite you to join us."

Qing Nuoyan lowered her eyes, carefully choosing her words, "We buried a large jar of cherry blossom wine under the tree, it's delicious... Would you like to leave here and come with me?"

Mikoto Chiyo did not answer.

Qing Nuoyan gazed at the ghost girl who had lost everything. Her eyes flickered slightly, her thin lips parted slightly, then closed again, and she pursed her lips.

half an hour.

She shook her head. "No."

"why?"

“Monster,” Mikoto Chiyo said calmly but stubbornly, “You can’t…leave.”

“I will heal you. It will only take some time.” Qing Nuoyan gazed intently into her eyes. “And we can use the Divine Cherry Tree…”

"Do not."

Mikoto Chiyo took a half step back, her eyes lowered as she looked at her hands, her pale fingers seemingly brimming with blood...